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Bank Of Agriculture Disburses N46bn

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The Bank of Agriculture (BOA), formerly the Nigerian Agriculture Cooperative and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB), has provided six million jobs and disbursed N46 billion since its inception in 2000.

The Managing Director, Dr Mohammed Santuraki, made this disclosure to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.

He said that although the bank encountered many constraints, “we still disburse an average of N5 hundred million quarterly and the disbursement will be a continuous exercise.”

He said that the bank was going to increase its lending by N10billion before the end of the year, with special focus on small-scale farmers.

He said, however, that “with all the new things coming up in agriculture development, we need to scale that up and we are planning to spend N10 billion this year on mainly small holder farmers.

“This is  because we think they are the most productive sub-sector of the agricultural value chain.

He added that the bank had introduced a new scheme tagged “Credit, which includes credit and extension services to all the loan beneficiaries” to assist small scale farmers.

“Commercial agriculture farmers are also important and they havevarious schemes supporting them.

“We are giving loans at subsidised rate of eight per cent for the small holder farmers but the challenge is that there is subsidy in the loan we give and the government does not compensate us systematically”.

He said “the breakeven point for the agricultural lending in Nigeria was 14 per cent “and if you lend below that, you are losing money.

“For us as a development finance institution, we see it as part of our contribution to the society, but government needs to find a way of compensating us for the service”.

Santuraki said that the bank was formed in 2000 by the merger of Peoples Bank of Nigeria and the risk assets of Family Economic Advancement Programme and the NACB.

According to him,  the proposal then was to recapitalise the bank to the tune of N50 billion.

Unfortunately, 10 years later, the bank only received N20 billion over a period of eight years in about six installments which had adverse effect on the lending system of the bank.

He said the development made it not sufficiently capitalised to do its normal mandate.

The Managing Director said the management of the bank had commenced restructuring of the bank, starting with changing of its name from the NACRDB to the Bank of Agriculture.

This is, “aimed at reshaping the feelings of the people toward the bank.

“We will soon commence rebranding and embark on comprehensive market re-entry strategy for the bank to compete favourably with its counterparts in the commercial sector,” he said.

He disclosed that the bank’s operational model would have rural mobilisation component so that it could drive both the rural savings and agricultural development.

He announced that the bank now has experts on seeds and inputs that would advise farmers on how to maximise yields, which was a big challenge in the farming sub-sector.

The bank is, therefore, doing all things possible to maintain its reach and improve access to the farmers through Micro Finance Banks (MFBs).

“We are also interested in mobile banking and improved information technology to cut down the cost of credit delivery and the only way to do this is being able to scale up the technology platform,” he said.

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Agency Boss Seeks Improvement In Revenue Collection, Accountability 

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The Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, has called on the management and staff of the brown water regulatory agency to show renewed commitment to boosting revenue generation, enforcing accountability, and improving operational efficiency of the organisation.
Oyebamiji, who made the call recently while declaring open a retreat for NIWA’s top executives and stakeholders in the industry in Lokoja, Kogi State, stressed the need for improved performance across all NIWA offices, particularly in revenue generation.
He expressed concern over the under performance of some area offices, citing cases where annual revenue figures were as low as one or two million Naira.
“This situation is simply unacceptable. Despite management’s provision of resources, incentives, and training opportunities, the expected results were not achieved.
“Moving forward, stricter measures will be enforced to ensure accountability and drive performance”, Oyebamiji stated.
He further addressed the challenges in debt recovery, revealing that many Area Managers failed to cooperate with the debt recovery consultant appointed in 2024.
He said in some instances, debtors were either untraceable or provided inconsistent financial records, making recovery efforts difficult.
“This negative attitude towards financial accountability will no longer be tolerated”, he warned.
The retreat, which brought together key stakeholders including the honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, the Chairman of the House Committee on Inland Waterways, the NIWA Board, Management staff, and security personnels, aims at providing a comprehensive review of the authority’s 2024 performance and establish strategic targets for 2025.
Oyebamiji emphasized that beyond reviewing past performance, the retreat would also focus on capacity building and teamwork to ensure that every officer is well-equipped to meet the set goals.
“This retreat is not just about evaluating past performance, it is about strategizing for the future. I encourage all participants to engage actively, exchange ideas, and work collectively towards making NIWA a leading agency in the marine and blue economy sector”, he concluded.
The two-day retreat featured panel discussions, training sessions, and interactive engagements aimed at strengthening NIWA’s operational framework and fostering a culture of efficiency, accountability, and innovation.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

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NCDMB Scribe Sues For African Collaboration Strategy On Local Content …… Decries Fragmented Implementation

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The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has charged sub-Saharan African nations to keep pace with unfolding trends in the global oil and gas industry.
He also charged them to adopt a unified approach in strengthening local content development, advancing industrialisation and fostering sustainable continent-wide economic growth.
Ogbe stated this in a keynote address he gave at the 9th Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC), in Lagos, last Tuesday.
According to him, nations such as Nigeria, Angola, and Ghana have made notable strides in local content development by boosting indigenous participation in the oil and gas sector.
He, however, expressed regret that fragmented implementation continues to hinder collective progress.
The NCDMB scribe called for a collaborative strategy among petroleum-producing nations in sub-Saharan Africa that would foster the sharing of best practices and enhance cross-border partnerships that could drive the competitiveness of indigenous players.
In his paper entitled “Sub-Saharan Africa Local Content Collaboration Strategy”, Engr. Ogbe identified harmonisation of local content policies, human capital development, investment in infrastructure, funding for local companies and technology transfer, as key pillars to Africa’s collaboration strategy.
He noted that “there is a need to develop a robust local content framework that positions the region for long-term economic prosperity”, and that this could be fostered “through the collaborative efforts of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union”.
The NCDMB boss also highlighted the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) as a critical legal framework that could be leveraged to achieve collaborative local content strategy in Africa, given the free trade area it has created by integrating 1.3 billion people across 54 African countries with a combined gross domestic product of over $3 trillion.
On human capital development, which he described as “pivotal to the successful implementation of local content”,  he observed that approximately 60% of Africa’s population is currently under the age of 25, and that this teeming population provides a unique opportunity to fast-track development.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

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ICTN Not Threat To Trade Efficiency – SEREC … Blames Unregulated Charges, Others

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The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) has in strong terms countered claims that the proposed International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) is detrimental to Nigeria’s economy.
Contrarily, SEREC said rather, it’s unregulated charges, informal levies, and multiple taxation that pose a far greater threat to trade efficiency and port competitiveness.
In a recent publication, SEREC expressed concern over the misrepresentation of ICTN’s role, particularly in media reports suggesting it would “kill the economy”.
The research center emphasised that ICTN, if properly implemented, would add real value to the port system by enhancing trade transparency, streamlining import statistics, and improving regulatory oversight.
“If we are sincerely concerned about charges that are ‘killing the economy,’ then our focus should be on the various hidden and unregulated costs currently imposed on shippers”, SEREC’s Head of Research, Eugene Nweke, siad.
SEREC provided a detailed breakdown of excessive charges affecting shippers.
These charges, according to the Centre, significantly contribute to inefficiencies in Nigeria’s port system, increasing the cost of trade and making logistics unpredictable.
One of the major concerns raised in the publication is the “Seven per cent Port Development Levy”, which continues to be collected despite the port concession regime.
In addition, “various unregulated terminal handling charges, positioning fees, scanning fees, and labour costs” have further added to the financial strain on shippers.
The “ETO Trucking Fee”, set at N100,000 per truck for entry and exit at terminals, is another significant burden, the Centre noted. Meanwhile, “arbitrary trucking costs” which are unilaterally determined by service providers create further unpredictability in the logistics chain.
SEREC also highlighted the issue of “informal payments and settlements”, which it said involved “unreceipted fees” at different cargo clearance points.
These hidden costs, coupled with “security agency tolls” allegedly imposed by government security operatives along cargo routes make cargo movement more expensive. Additionally, the Centre criticised the “state-favourably on the global stage.”

Given these arguments, SEREC is calling for the “immediate implementation of ICTN” to restore order and efficiency in Nigeria’s port system.

The research Centre argues that ICTN should not be grouped with arbitrary charges but should be seen as a “structured, value-adding fee with a clear function”.

Nweke assured that “by the time the implementation fully runs through a period, the effects and contributions to the port system and its impact is felt by all, then, those who are initially in doubt of the effectiveness of the ICTN would have no option but to embrace and appreciate the enabling device (ICTN)”.

 

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